Disadvantages. They do things. They grant you XP, noted by their XP bonus. Their effects are passive, unless noted otherwise.

All disadvantages bear a tag appropriate to their category: [Physical], [Mental], [Social], [Blood], [Spiritual], or [Divine]. They may also bear additional tags.

Some disadvantages have a bonus of X. When buying these advantage, you choose the value for X.

Some disadvantages have multiple listed XP bonus (ex: 3/6/9). The disadvantage will have a different description for each value. Choose one of those values, gain the respective XP bonus, and gain its respective effect.

While you are free to take as many disadvantages as you like, the maximum total XP bonus from disadvantages you may receive is 7. This includes situational bonus XP gained from the bottom of a disadvantage.

By default, you may not acquire more disadvantages during play. Disadvantages may be given to you temporarily or permanently by some effect, or by GM discretion. Disadvantages gained this way give no XP bonus.

Anatomy of a disadvantage
Name - This is the disadvantage's name, which may be referenced by other effects, be they techniques or other other effects.
Extra Tags - Some disadvantages have more than their category tag, those will be noted in this spot when they are present.
Bonus - The XP bonus of an advantage. This may be a single number, a set of numbers, or an X, as noted above.
Description - The description of the advantage, which hints at its in-setting nature, and its mechanics. Not all cases an advantage can be applies can be explicitly stated, however, so your GM is the final arbiter of any such fuzzy cases. If the scope of an advantage is unclear, see the FAQ for some clarification.
Discounts - Some disadvantages give a higher bonus for certain types of characters. They will be noted below the main effect. All discounts stack, but as mentioned previously, the maximum bonus XP remains 10.

Special Tags and mechanical baggage
[Blood] - Your character was born with this disadvantage, and therefore this disadvantage can only ever be taken at character creation, and can not be granted.
[Spiritual] - Characters may possess only one [Spiritual] advantage or disadvantage.
[Divine] - Characters may possess only one [Divine] advantage or disadvantage.
[Heritage] - Not all spirits dwell apart from mankind, and of those that involve themselves in human affairs, some take a more carnal interest than others. Your family line is the product of such a union, and the blood of a particular spirit flows especially strong in your veins, for good or for ill. You may never have an advantage and disadvantage of this type from more than one spirit.

Physical Disadvantages

Bad Eyesight

Bonus: 3
Your vision is blurry, so much so that it effects your capacity to perform your duties. When making a ranged or thrown attack, and when testing or contesting Investigation in circumstances that primarily rely on your vision (GM's discretion), suffer a malus of -1k1. When a character makes a test or contest against your Vigilance, if the circumstances primarily rely on your vision, you have -5 Vigilance for this test.

Blind

Bonus: 5
You don't have use of your eyesight, which makes things… complicated.

You suffer a malus of -3k3 to ranged attacks and malus of -1k1 to melee attacks. You may not complete spells that require you to choose an area or characters as targets. You may not make other tests or contests that rely on eyesight (GM's discretion). Your Attribute Bonus to Armor Target Number is reduced from 5*Reflexes to 1*Reflexes. Your Water Ring is considered 2 lower when determining how far you may move. When moving through rough terrain or worse with a movement action, test Athletics/Agility against Target Number 20. If you fail, you become prone at the end of your movement.

Low Pain Threshold

Bonus: 4
You simply cant handle wounds as effectively as others, and even a weak strike is enough to put you at a disadvantage in combat. Your Healthy Wound Rank is 1 instead of Earth * 5.

Poor Constitution

Bonus: 4
To put it bluntly, you're the victim of some perpetual disease that medicine and spiritualism can't fix. You calculate your wound thresholds as if your Earth was 1 rank lower (characters that calculate wounds at earth 0 die). When making a test or contest to resist disease or poison, suffer a malus of -1k1.

Mental Disadvantages

Antisocial

Bonus: 2/4
By birth or by the result of some ordeal, something about pleasant conversation just doesn't sit right with you, affecting your capacity to participate in polite conversation.

2 - When testing or contesting a [Social] skill, suffer a malus of -1k0.
4 - When testing or contesting a [Social] skill, suffer a malus of -1k1.

Ascetic

Bonus: 2
For whatever reason, the lofty heights of fame and fortune have never appealed to you - a set of priorities mismatched with your peers. When you are awarded glory for your actions, gain only half the award. If your school's starting equipment grants mundane clothing of any quality, you receive "Drab Clothing" instead.

Compulsion

Bonus: 1/4
You are compelled to do something you really would be better off not doing. This is no harmless quirk, the behavior in question must pose some risk to compelled character (GM's discretion).

1 - When given a chance to engage in the compelled behavior, the character must do so unless they are successful in testing Willpower against Target Number 15.
4 - When given a chance to engage in the compelled behavior, the character must do so unless they are successful in testing Willpower against Target Number 25.

Frail Mind

Bonus: 3
You have a capricious attitude, and are more easily swayed than your peers.

When contesting a skill with Willpower, all other characters in the contest without this disadvantage gain +2k0.

Insensitive

Bonus: 3/4
For whatever reason you just can't bring yourself to care much for lesser folk.

3 - Unless it is implicitly your present duty, you may not act selflessly for the benefit of non-samurai unless you first spend a Void Point.
4 - Unless it is implicitly your present duty, you may not act selflessly for the benefit of non-samurai or samurai with lower status than you unless you first spend a Void Point.

Lost Love

Bonus: 3
Whoever said "it is better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all" was a fool. Someone you loved deeply was killed, leaving you with only their memory. Once per encounter, when a situation would remind you of the person you lost, suffer a malus of -5 to all tests and contests either for the remainder of the encounter or until you spend a Void Point.

Obsession with Bushido - Chuugi

Bonus: 3
You are obsessed with Duty to the extent it can hinder you ability to perform it. When put into a situation where the literal wording of your duty is pit against the spirit of your duty or your lord's intention, test Willpower against Target Number 20. If you fail, you must either follow the literal wording of your duty or suffer a loss of honor as if you had committed a minor breach of etiquette.

Whenever you gain honor from an act associated with Chuugi, gain an additional +0.1 honor. Whenever you lose honor from an act associated with Chuugi, lose an additional -0.1 honor.

Obsession with Bushido - Gi

Bonus: 3
You are obsessed with Righteousness and Truth, which causes you to point out all falsehood. You can't willingly tell a lie. If someone within earshot of you says something you believe to be a lie, test Willpower against Target Number 20. If you fail, you must interrupt conversation to correct them, unless it would cause a breach of etiquette above minor. Otherwise you must correct them or the people they spoke with as soon as it would be deemed socially acceptable or you may instead suffer a loss of honor as if you had committed a minor breach of etiquette.

Whenever you gain honor from an act associated with Gi, gain an additional +0.1 honor. Whenever you lose honor from an act associated with Gi, lose an additional -0.1 honor.

Obsession with Bushido - Jin

Bonus: 3
You are obsessed with Compassion, which distinguishes you from your peers in an unfortunate way - you value individual human life. If you kill another human, you must spend a day in grief or suffer a loss of honor as if you had committed a minor breach of etiquette. While you are grieving, you suffer a malus of -10 to all tests and contests. When killing multiple humans, the time is cumulative, but not the penalty. Killing people in indirect ways, such as putting a samurai into a position where they have no recourse but to take their own life, are at the GM's discretion.

Whenever you gain honor from an act associated with Jin, gain an additional +0.1 honor. Whenever you lose honor from an act associated with Jin, lose an additional -0.1 honor.

In addition, when making any test or contest that could result in non-environmental damage (such as damage from falling) you gain the following maneuver:
Soften - 1 Raise. When this maneuver is called, suffer -3k0 to your damage roll. If this source of damage would kill someone, it instead leaves them 1 wound away from dead.

Obsession with Bushido - Makoto

Bonus: 3
You are obsessed with Integrity and Sincerity, so much so that you spend a considerable amount reassuring yourself you've done nothing wrong. If you, your words, or your deeds are challenged (for example: enduring insult, someone attempts to coerce you, or a person makes their hostile intentions known), test Willpower against Target Number 20. If you fail, you must respond with unsubtle physical or social violence or you may instead suffer a loss of honor as if you had committed a minor breach of etiquette. (Violence in-setting is a bit broad because a samurai's words are a samurai's deeds. A challenge or threat can be just as violent as an actual attack. What is important is the obsessed character is put into a situation where failure to get violent is a loss of honor.)

Whenever you gain honor from an act associated with Makoto, gain an additional +0.1 honor. Whenever you lose honor from an act associated with Makoto, lose an additional -0.1 honor.

Obsession with Bushido - Rei

Bonus: 3
You are obsessed with Courtesy and Respect, putting you at a disadvantage against samurai who are less than honorable. You may not intentionally insult another samurai. When your actions might cast doubt on another samurai's words or deeds, test Willpower against Target Number 20. If you fail, you may not take action against that samurai if that action would call into question their integrity unless you first suffer a loss of honor as if you had committed a minor breach of etiquette.

Whenever you gain honor from an act associated with Rei, gain an additional +0.1 honor. Whenever you lose honor from an act associated with Rei, lose an additional -0.1 honor.

Obsession with Bushido - Yuu

Bonus: 3
You are obsessed with Courage and Heroism, and have grown callous to the value of your own life. When you are in a fight, test Willpower against Target Number 20. If you fail, you may not flee unless you suffer a loss of honor as if you had committed a minor breach of etiquette. In addition, if you would suffer honor loss from fleeing from a confrontation, you lose honor from the table one step higher (minor->serious->major->dire). (Losing honor from this disadvantage is not amplified, only from the actual act of fleeing)

Whenever you gain honor from an act associated with Yuu, gain an additional +0.1 honor. Whenever you lose honor from an act associated with Yuu, lose an additional -0.1 honor.

Phobia

Bonus: 1/2/3 + 0/1/2
You have an irrational fear for something most would consider normal or harmless, to the extent that it makes your duties more difficult to complete. Choose one of each set to purchase this disadvantage.

1 - The object of your phobia a rare thing to encounter, such as a particular type of supernatural creature or the smell of a rare substance.
2 - The object of your phobia is uncommon, such as a natural creature found in the wilderness or a specific fighting style.
3 - The object of your phobia is common, such as a creature kept as a pet, the smell of fire, or certain weapons.

0 - When confronting the object of your phobia, or while performing an action that could reasonably lead you to encounter the object of your phobia (GM's discretion), suffer a malus of -5 to your tests and contests.
1 - When confronting the object of your phobia, or while performing an action that could reasonably lead you to encounter the object of your phobia (GM's discretion), suffer a malus of -10 to your tests and contests.
2 - When confronting the object of your phobia, or while performing an action that could reasonably lead you to encounter the object of your phobia (GM's discretion), suffer a malus of -15 to your tests and contests.

Rumormonger

Bonus: 4
You absolutely need to spread rumors, you can barely help yourself. The GM chooses a rumor or event you know to be true that you must spread the next time you have the chance. While in court with some free time, test Willpower against Target Number X, where X is 5 * the highest Glory value among characters involved in the chosen rumor. If you fail, you must spend some time spreading that rumor.

Social Disadvantages

Bitter Betrothal

Bonus: 2
While it's rare for a couple to truly love one another, it is similarly rare for a couple to detest each other enough to warrant note. Your spouse and their family are not your allies by default, and can not become your allies so long as you possess this disadvantage. In addition, your spouse is prone to working against you if it could result in their own personal benefit, such as, but not limited to, digging up evidence of your ignoble behavior to use toward getting an annulment or divorce, or taking credit for your actions to gain social or material gains (GM's discretion).

Blackmailed

Bonus: X
[WIP]

Dishonored

Bonus: 5
You have failed so spectacularly the only redemption left for you is death - still, you persist. You can not gain status. You lose all your allies and you may not gain allies. All samurai outside your clan treat you as though you were Status 1. Within your own clan you are treated as Status 0, putting you on the level of trust and respect as a ronin.

Only characters belonging to Greater Clans may buy this advantage.

Excommunicated

Bonus: 1/3
Your bloodline at large has drawn the ire of a group of monks long over, over some ancient power struggle or blasphemy. Due to the fragmented nature of the Empire's religion, thankfully you won't find much in the way of organized resistance. However, holy men have some privilege in the world kept even from samurai. Should you cross paths with your enemies, they can potentially cause you serious trouble.

1 - A single abbey has a grudge against you. Treat your Glory as Infamy when dealing with that abbey.
3 - An entire sect has a grudge against you. Treat your Glory as Infamy when dealing with that sect.

Infamous

Bonus: 1/2/3
Though ignoble actions you have gained a negative reputation. But… to some samurai, any reputation is good so long as your name is being circulated in court.

1 - Gain 1.0 Infamy
2 - Lose 0.5 Glory, then gain 1.0 Infamy. If you don't have 0.5 Glory when you purchase this disadvantage, note the remainder. If you would gain glory, instead subtract it from the remainder until the remainder is 0.
3 - Lose 1.0 Glory, then gain 1.0 Infamy. If you don't have 1.0 Glory when you purchase this disadvantage, note the remainder. If you would gain glory, instead subtract it from the remainder until the remainder is 0.

Obligation

Bonus: X
You owe a debt to a character or faction not your own, one you are honorbound to repay. When you purchase this disadvantage, it gains X Deeds. That character or that faction may at any time ask you for a favor, and so long as that favor is not itself dishonorable, you must comply or lose honor as a Serious Breach. When you complete a request for that character or faction, remove a Deed from the disadvantage. When this disadvantage has 0 Deeds, it becomes blank.

Terrible Secret

Bonus: 4
You have learned something dark and vile about your lord or bloodline. Should this information ever become known to anyone other than yourself, you and those close to you will certainly die. While it may be honorable to reveal the truth, it would be dishonorable to betray your lord and house, keeping such dilemmas unresolved.

Blood Disadvantages

Bakehanzaki’s Torpor

[Heritage]
Bonus: 5
A distant and sluggish ancestor’s blood is strong in you, taxing your energy for the sake of recuperation. While healing naturally, you require an additional hour of sleep before regaining Void Points. When you heal wounds through the effect of a spell, Advantage, or Technique, gain the Exhaustion status as though you had gone 24 hours without sleep. This stacks with itself and existing Exhaustion, with each instance counting as an additional 24 hours without sleep.

Bakeneko’s Impatience

[Heritage]
Bonus: 5
A distant and fickle ancestor’s blood is strong in you, pulling your attention in every direction. [Social] skills tests or contests made to distract you gain +2k0. When you would spend more than an hour in a single pursuit, you must make a Willpower tests at TN 20 or lose focus on the task at hand. If you fail, you suffer -2k0 to tests or contests involved in that activity until you move on to something new.

Child of Dark Stars (Tezō Curse)

[Blood]
Bonus: 3
Divination performed at your birth revealed to your family an omen, something from which you might never escape.
When you purchase this disadvantage, the GM provides you with a vague omen. (such as "You will betray that which you love most" or "You will find your hands bloodied on each year's 6th full moon.")
Once per session, at any time, the GM may choose any [Spiritual] disadvantage costing 4 or less and apply it to you for the duration of either 2 tests or contests of their choosing, or until it has caused you some other considerable trouble (GM's discretion).

Jorōgumo’s Hunger

[Heritage]
Bonus: 5
A distant and sinister ancestor’s blood is strong in you, giving you a Jorōgumo’s streak of cruel desire. When you would voluntarily make a Courtier skill test or contest, you must first succeed at a TN 20 Willpower test. If you fail, you must instead test or contest Coercion(Bribery) in an attempt at seduction. If you sleep with someone, you must afterward make a TN 20 Willpower test or immediately attack them.

Kenku’s Arrogance

[Heritage]
Bonus: 5
A distant and refined ancestor’s blood is strong in you, giving you a kenku’s sense of perfection in all things. Any time you make a skill test or contest using Intelligence or Agility, or a spellcasting test, if you do not call at least one raise, suffer a moderate breach of Meiyo.

Ningyo’s Skin

[Heritage]
Bonus: 5
A distant and aquatic ancestor’s blood is strong in you, giving you a ningyo’s damp skin. You must fully submerge in water for an hour every day to stay healthy. If you go a full day without submerging, you suffer a -5 malus on tests and contests using any of the physical Attributes.

Oni’s Appetite

[Heritage]
Bonus: 5
A distant and wild ancestor’s blood is strong in you, giving you an oni’s appetite for destruction. You may never regain Void Points through Meditation. Instead, once a day you regain two Void Points when you violently destroy something of value in a breach of Rei or Meiyo.

Spiritual Disadvantages

Ancestral Interference

Bonus: 4
One of your ancestors has taken a particular interest in you, constantly offering opinions and making demands, whether merely to aid you or for the sake of their own unfinished business. You must show the appropriate reverence for your ancestor and do your best to meet their expectations. If you fail to do so, displeasure will produce bad luck for you. While your ancestor remains angry, once per day you suffer a -1k1 malus on a roll of your GM’s choice.

Cursed by Hengeyōkai

Bonus: 5
The animal spirits of the wild reject you, setting their lesser brethren against you. This curse may originate from kitsune, bakeneko, mujina, or any similar spirit. You suffer a malus of -1k1 to all Animal Handling tests, and animals that attack you gain +1k0 on their damage rolls.

Cursed by Kibōyōkai

Bonus: 5
Cruel and capricious trickster spirits torment you, and at least once a month you suffer a complex and cruel prank carried out by one of them. This curse may originate from kappa, oni magicians, goblins, or any similar spirit.

Cursed by Gashiyōkai

Bonus: 5
The dark and endless appetites of the hungry dead have rubbed off on you. This curse may originate from gaki, yorei, gashadokuro, or any similar spirit. When confronted with a wounded opponent, you must succeed at a Target Number 15 Willpower test or immediately attack the wounded person.

Nightmares of Past Lives

Bonus: 4
You are unusually connected to your own past lives, and terrible images of those lifetimes assail you in your sleep, turning your dreams to nightmares. When sleeping, you require ten hours of sleep before you recover Void Points.

Divine Disadvantages

Benten's Curse

Bonus: 3
The Fortune of Beauty has shown you disfavor. You are compelled to articulate yourself in a way that is ever so slightly strange. When testing or contesting Courtier, Etiquette, or any skill for the sake of performing or presenting art, suffer a malus of -2k0.

Bishamon's Curse

Bonus: 3
The Fortune of Battle has shown you disfavor. Compared to your peers, you lack a certain grace with the arms of war. Damage rolls you make suffer a malus of -2k0.

Daikoku's Curse

Bonus: 3
The Fortune of Wealth has shown you disfavor. The value of coin is simply lost to you, and you respect it even less than others around you. When testing or contesting Commerce, suffer a malus of -2k1. Your starting wealth from your school is halved.

Ebisu's Curse

Bonus: 3
The Fortune of Fertility has shown you disfavor.

Fukorokuju's Curse

Bonus: 3
The Fortune of Knowledge has shown you disfavor.

Hotei's Curse

Bonus: 3
The Fortune of Luck has shown you disfavor.

Jurojin's Curse

Bonus: 3
The Fortune of Longevity has shown you disfavor.

Scorned by Ezen Yalzarsan

Bonus: 5
The Vulture-Hearted Lord of the Steppe has marked your soul for death. In the eyes of the Ezen Yalzarsan, you have come to resemble carrion, and your mortal frame suffers for his curse. Increase the wound penalty of all wound ranks but Healthy by -5. Additionally, the inescapable smell of death begins to seep from you, whether as the iron tang of blood or a sickly waft of decay. Suffer a -3k0 malus on all [Social] tests and contests.

Scorned by Kakusei

Bonus: 3
The Clear-Eyed Lord of the Mountain has obscured the true nature of your destiny. Divination tests you make or which are made for your benefit may never have a Clarity higher than 2.

Further, this was likely done for a good reason. Your destiny is peculiar to say the least, and the less you know about it the better. The GM determines what your destiny is. Once per Insight Rank over the course of this character's life, the GM may force you to make an odd decision so long as it doesn't conflict directly with your duty or infringe on your honor.

Scorned by Kagayaki

Bonus: 5
The Radiant Lady of the Sun's gentle radiance has become your bane. While direct sunlight touches your skin, you are Exhausted. If you take damage from a [Light] attack or spell, you are Exhausted until the end of the encounter.

This disadvantage can be temporarily circumvented by either wearing highly conspicuous clothing that covers your entire body, or by wielding a [Medium] parasol. (The parasol would count as a [Medium] improvised weapon in combat, and can be disarmed like normal.)

Scorned by Komoretsu

Bonus: 4
The Many-Faced Lord of the Moon casts shade upon your words and light upon your presence. While participating in a test or contest where at least one character is contesting Sincerity(Deceit) or Stealth, your dice may never explode.

During the night, your tests and contests suffer a malus of -1k0. During the night of a full or new moon, this malus increases to -1k1

Scorned by Kyōmen

Bonus: 3
The Mirror-Veiled Lady of the Lake has laid her veil upon you, trapping your soul in a cage of reflections. Your Vigilance is reduced by 5.

If by an effect you would learn anything directly from another character's profile, you learn that thing from your own profile instead. (Such as Honor Value from Lore: Bushido, or attribute values from the Assessment Initiative Action)

The second effect of this disadvantage counts as a 2-bonus disadvantage for the purposes of Child of Dark Stars

Scorned by Murakimizu

Bonus: 4
The Foam-Wreathed Lady of the Sea has seen to it that you shall suffer great adversity in the face of mighty waves - literal and metaphorical. You suffer a malus of -5 to all Sailing tests, and to contests made to resist the Knockdown maneuver.

Further, damage you suffer while not on land gains +2k0. (In the sense of not being on "dry land". Such as while you are crossing a bridge over water or on a boat. This effect is not active while in any other spiritual realm)

Scorned by Naibuki

Bonus: 3
The Iron-Hearted Lord of the Plain provides insight to warriors who seek to master their style… when you're their victim. The first time each skirmish you are the target of a Maneuver, the attack roll receives a Free Raise.

Further, all who follow the way of the blade find you distasteful in some way. You suffer a malus of -X to all [Social] tests and contests when dealing with Bushi, where X is that Bushi's insight rank.

Scorned by Natsurai

Bonus: 3
The Thunder-Voiced Lord of the Storm wants to see you suffer. Damage from [Lightning] attacks and spells, as well as damage from natural lightning, gains +1k1.

Scorned by Nishikaze

Bonus: 3
The Far-Striding Lady of the Wind causes you to see paths were there are none, causing you to move sluggishly on occasion. You must succeed on a Air Ring test against Target Number 10 before you Move as a Free Action or you may not use a Free Action to Move this turn.

Scorned by Saiu

Bonus: 2
The Craft-Wise Lady of the Shore's displeasure toward you has caused you to second-guess your skills as an artist your whole life. Once per session, the GM may force you to reroll one Courtly skill test or contest, taking the worse result.

Unless you have 3 courtly skills at rank 3 or higher, your Awareness, Reflexes, and Air Ring are considered 1 lower.

While you possess this disadvantage, the first time you lose at least 3 glory for art you have performed or presented, gain 1 bonus XP.
While you possess this disadvantage, the first time you unintentionally give offense as a Lesser Breach of Honor, gain 1 bonus XP.
While you possess this disadvantage, the first time you fail to achieve some goal or objective in court, gain 1 bonus XP.

Scorned by Senkō

Bonus: 2
The Shining Lord of Steel's scorn ensures that steel is fated to betray you. To ready a metal weapon, you must spend a Complex Action instead of any other Action.

Further, when you would draw or pick up a katana, test your lowest Physical Attribute against Target Number 15. If you fail, the blade leaps from you.

When purchasing this disadvantage, bushi characters gain 3 bonus XP.

Scorned by Wamori

Bonus: 2
The Gentle-Handed Lord of the Forest is drawn to you due to the violent tenancies of your house. The first time you make a successful attack in a skirmish, suffer wounds equal to half those you deal to your target.

While you possess this disadvantage, the first time you raise a Weapon skill to 3, gain 1 bonus XP.
While you possess this disadvantage, the first time you raise a Weapon skill to 5, gain 1 bonus XP.
While you possess this disadvantage, the first time you raise a Weapon skill to 7, gain 1 bonus XP.

Background Disadvantages

Background Disadvantages are a special subset of disadvantages that give 0 bonus XP if taken on Character Creation. However, unlike other disadvantages, they may not be inflicted onto the player temporarily by any effect, and if a character is inflicted with a Background Disadvantage, they are given the Bonus XP as if they had purchased it. If this puts a character over the typical Bonus XP limit of 7, this extra XP may be used to buy off other disadvantages.

Black Sheep [Social]

Bonus: 4
A rare circumstance indeed to be disowned by one's family but not expelled by one's clan. Though you remain in service to your lord, you are without the typical host of boons for one of your station. Your own family are not your allies and can not become your allies. Further, any material possession you inherited from your family is returned to them, such as an ancestral blade or an estate.

Forced Retirement [Social]

Bonus: 3
You were born into a clan, but were forced by your lord or house to retire into monkhood. While you technically remain a samurai, those who choose the path of the monk are expected to willingly waive most privileges that would entail. After this disadvantage is purchased, you are ejected from your schools and must join an unaligned [Sohei] school when you next increase your Insight Rank.

Hostage [Social]

Bonus: 4
You were given to another clan as collateral on a peace treaty. If you were to attempt to defy your hosts, or if war were to ever break out, your life is forfeit. You effectively belong to the clan hosting you, and the daimyo responsible for your care acts as your lord in the meantime. Hostages are typically given while they are young, though there are exceptions, making it the responsibility of the host to train them. This often causes the hostages to grow close to their hosts, but not the majority of the time, as the duty to one's clan is paramount.

Ronin [Social]

Bonus: 5
You belong to no clan. While you are technically a samurai, your lack of political backing affords you no respect and essentially no privileges besides being allowed to carry weapons. You may only learn Generic Schools, you receive no stipend, and your starting status and glory is 0. On the bright side, you are your own lord, and you are free to set your own duties as you see fit.

NPC Disadvantages

These disadvantages are either very harsh or quite nebulous, and unsuited to your average player character. Therefor they are NPC-only by default.

Brash [Mental]

Bonus: 4
Pride demands one's honor to be defended, but you take it to another level. Any perceived slight against you by any character (GM's discretion) forces you to Willpower against Target Number 20. If you fail, you must respond to the slight with unsubtle physical or social violence. (See Obsession Makoto)

Driven [Mental]

Bonus: 3
Something deep inside you burns. When you purchase this disadvantage, choose a goal. You must pursue your goal at all times regardless to the cost to yourself and those around you, so long as those costs wouldn't directly hinder your progress toward your goal. If your goal becomes irrelevant somehow, choose another goal.

Lame [Physical]

Bonus: 4/7
Due to injury or disease, one or both of your legs don't work as well as they should.

4 - When walking, jogging, or running, move as if your Water were 1 rank lower. Suffer a malus of -10 to all tests and contests that non-trivially utilizes your lower body.
7 - You may not walk, jog, or run. When you would participate in a test or contest that non-trivially utilizes your lower body, you fail or lose automatically.

Missing Arm [Physical]

Bonus: 4/7
Due to injury or disease, one or both of your arms don't work as well as they should.

4 - You have one usable arm (you may only wield a single small or medium weapon by default. Your unusable arm is not considered to be free). Suffer a malus of -10 to all tests and contests that would benefit from the use of more than one arm (such as grappling or climbing).
7 - You have no usable arms. If you would participate in a test or contest that non-trivially utilizes your upper body, you fail or lose automatically.

Weakness [Physical] or [Mental]

Bonus: 4
Due to some flaw in your training, or perhaps by injury or disease, you aren't as potent as your peers. When you purchase this disadvantage, choose one attribute. Treat that attribute as 1 lower than it is for all purposes except determining your Rings, and for determining the cost of increasing that attribute. This disadvantage is either [Physical] or [Mental], matching the chosen attribute.